Friday, 24 July 2015

Life just got in the way of Elva's quilting this week, so Grace gave us our weekly update and Iris on the blog.

We received a lovely letter of thanks from Sarah Potter at the Dept. of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at the Westmead Children's hospital. You may remember we donated a quilt for their fund raising. The raffle raised over $1600 which will go towards their palliative care equipment pool. This is the quilt that we gave them:

Flower Garden

Because of a lovely show and tell quilt from Grace, discussion led to 'persuading' Grace to give an impromptu workshop next week on how to make the quick and easy Counterchange block. So if you would like to participate you can bring your own fabrics - 20cm. strips of two contrasting fabrics - or help yourself from the cupboard.

The Counterchange block

This is how Grace showcased panels in her quilt top with Counterchange Blocks

and more 'Show and Tell ..

A quilt by Susan St.J, who used a blanket as wadding

another Grace original ... made 'this morning' we were told ! A colourful cover for her new tablet.

Strips and Stripes by Jenny: all finished and given to Community

and the completed Christmas Challenge quilt: thank you to Helena for the quilting - perfect.

Stars in our garden

and finally ... in case you haven't checked out the other pages of the blog recently: both the Challenges and Community pages are all up to date.

Sunday, 19 July 2015

It was a freezing and wet Thursday last, but nevertheless much was achieved.

The Show committee had a very fruitful meeting before coming over to the main group. Lots of aspects of our 2016 show were nutted out and decided upon, many based on the results of our feedback survey of the previous weeks. Thanks everyone for your efforts in giving so many great ideas and useful information. Progress is definitely being made. And thanks to those who have stepped forward to pledge support with all the work and specific jobs that will come up. Looking good!

Many thanks to Jacky Smith for volunteering to fill the Librarian role now that Janet is moving north! We will only have Janet's company for a few more weeks, and Jacky has quickly stepped in for us. Much appreciated. Being close table buddies and friends, the briefing and hand-over should go very smoothly. Thanks ladies.

We had a veritable 'flood' of baby quilts this week. Many had been produced ready for last week's binding workshop, so that may explain it. Whatever, the Grace Centre benefits, and so do the little ones and their mums. One of our show decisions was that the mini-challenge be a display of Grace Centre quilts, so we can showcase the particular cause and explain the background. Feel free to work on some particularly spectacular ones if you wish. It will be an extra surprise corner of the show. Another winner with the viewers I suspect.

Here are today's group for delivery soon:

And the clever quilters of all these were (with a bit of luck in this order!) Helen, Jess and Maddie, Helena, Robyn S, Narelle and Ros, and finally Hayley! Well done. What a pile for the babies!

The next quilt is being made by Susan H for a silent auction at her grand daughter's school. Let's hope it makes them lots of money! Well done. Very good of grandma to go to all this effort.......

Joy showed us her tiny "Jess Challenge" result. Very cute. I'm impressed that these are still coming in. I'm sure Jess is also. Maybe a pot-holder?

The final two quilts were done by Helen (as if she hasn't had enough to do!) and she hasn't decided on where they will end up and with whom. Some lucky recipient. Grandchild I'd bet...........

I think both were done by the 'quilt as you go' method. Hope I've got all this right Helen. Feel free to scold me if I'm wrong. Tricky to admire the quilts, take photos and scribble notes at the same time, (whinge, whinge.......)

Well, another Thursday passes. How quickly this year is flying! Wait, I think I say that every year.......

Remember how slowly time went when you were a kid waiting for the next birthday or Christmas? Seemed to creep by for ever. Can't be our age can it? Naaaaaaah........

Sunday, 12 July 2015

Thank you to Helen and Susie for holding a wonderful binding workshop for all comers! Very generous of you, and extremely useful to many who dropped in at various stages. I think everyone who attended learned quite a few new tricks. Here are some shots of the gathering:

Congratulations to Joy on her 11th grandchild, and welcome to Olga who came to check out the group this week.

Deb reminded us that it is only six weeks now till our retreat at Blackheath. Places still available, but let Deb know ASAP.

SHOW AND TELL

Kerry showed a very cute quilt just finished for her 4 year old grandson. It will be given to him on the arrival of his new baby, expected very soon. Both quilts have matching star backs! No sibling rivalry there then!

Margaret D showed a lovely counter-change quilt in gorgeous brown and beige. A timeless design that always comes off so well!

Beryl B showed this spectacular quilt in black and white, with a hint of brown. Designed she says, by her grandson and his girlfriend! Very nice design indeed! Needless to say the quilt is for them.

Jess and her daughter Maddie showed a lovely blue toned baby quilt which will be for The Grace Centre. Beautifully done Maddie! It helps to have such a talented mum to give you a hand too!

And finally Robyn J made this following quilt for the community collection. It was quilted by Helena. Cute use of doggie fabric. Very nice !

Sunday, 5 July 2015

Fortunately Dave from the council had organised for the heating to be fixed, so we didn't freeze in the cold weather. Good old Dave. Always there to rescue us!

Next week Suzie and Helen will run a little binding workshop for those interested. You can bring along a quilt ready for binding, or just watch and learn a new technique being demonstrated. Suzie said instructions for what to bring will be coming via email before the day, so watch out for that.

Narelle and I visited the Figtree Playgroup last Wednesday with a fabric craft activity ready to go. The kids had a ball and made a suitable amount of chaos, noise and mess! Just as kids will do when they're really enjoying themselves! Thanks Narelle for helping out, and thanks to Robyn H for giving me a hand with the tacking stitching on Thursday. I've been stitching away at it whenever I have had time over the last few days, so progress is being made. We hope it will make a cute wall-hanging for their little group. They are already very proud of their efforts, and may start another one on their own next time! Here it is before stitching began (thank heavens for glue sticks!).

Iris filled us in on a possible choice for a recipient from our next show in 2016. Sounds very interesting, and thanks Iris for the very worthy suggestion. Show preparation is well under way, but plenty more to do and still a few committee positions to be filled. Thanks to those who have put their hands up. We're nearly there. I'll set a show committee meeting date as soon as I get a few more bits and pieces organised. Stay tuned.

It's less than 7 weeks till our retreat. We have a good number attending, and it's building to a really fun affair this year. Still not too late to join us if you are suddenly free that weekend (21st-23rd August). The more the merrier!

The War-Time Quilts exhibition has started this weekend at Manly, and will continue till near the end of November. Jess is going to take up an offer by Annette Gero to give us a guided tour, so if this is of interest to you let Jess know so that she can plan dates and numbers. Thanks for your efforts on this Jess.

SHOW AND TELL

The baby quilt of the week was presented by June P. Very sweet it is too, and again gorgeous backing fabric. It's so nice for when these little quilts are turned over for the mums to get another lovely surprise! Thanks June.

Grace showed us a community quilt made from a Kathy D design ' Big Fluffy Love' (I hope I got that right Grace). It's delightful.......

Karen showed an amazing piece of work which is finally finished after an interrupted time when it needed to rest. It was done as part of a Keepsake Quilting Challenge, and the fine work leaves you speechless! Definitely needs to be seen 'in person' and close up. I hope my photography gives some idea of the excellence of the work. Outstanding Karen, as always!

Joy has made yet another fine quilt for her grandchildren, this one for a grandson I believe. What an industrious grandma! They are very lucky children indeed. He will absolutely love this!

And look at the backing fabric! Cute!

I took a shot of a community quilt Grace and group are working on. It went up on the design wall and looks fantastic! Lots of deliberation, but I think it's going to be a real beauty!

As I said at the start, very busy and industrious. What else would you expect from the girls in this fabulous group? Can't wait till next week and we'll do it all again!